Monterey County Film Commission Blog

Lights, Camera, Economic Action


Emergency Retaining Wall Repair – Two Full Overnight Closures at Paul’s Slide, Big Sur

By:
In: News, Production Alert

MONTEREY COUNTY – Construction work on the existing retaining wall will requires both directions of State Route 1 at Paul’s Slide (PM 21.6) to fully close overnight for two nights, starting on Sunday, Oct. 28.

The highway will be closed from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. the next morning. Motorists/ cyclists are advised to plan around these two emergency overnight full closures. This roadwork should be completed by Tuesday morning, Oct. 30 at 6 a.m.

Note: Emergency services will be allowed passage through road closure.

Paul’s Slide suffered major storm damage in January, 2017, losing part of its embankment including the southbound lane and closing for several months. Paul’s Slide near Limekiln State Park remains active and continues to be monitored. It has currently been operating under a temporary traffic signal for over a year and the signal will remain in place.

John Madonna Construction of San Luis Obispo is the contractor for this project. Construction work on the existing retaining wall at Paul’s Slide will ensure a safer environment for all travelers.

Caltrans reminds motorists to move over and slow down when driving through
Highway work zones.

For more information on this project and for traffic updates on other Caltrans projects in Monterey County, residents can call the District 5 toll free number at 1-831-372-0862 or can visit our website at:

http://www.dot.ca.gov/dist05/paffairs/release.htm#mon

TAMC Cone Zone Report – Oct. 7 to Oct. 13

By:
In: News, Production Alert

ROAD AND LANE CLOSURES SCHEDULED FOR October 7 through October 13, 2018.

MONTEREY COUNTY – Here are the major scheduled road and lane closures for Monterey County from Sunday, Oct. 7th through Oct. 13th.  Please keep in mind that construction work is weather-dependent.

Highway 1 – Big Sur:  October 8 – October 12

  • Daytime work along Highway 1 will result in traffic control and flagging at multiple locations between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.  The locations are:
  • Big Creek Bridge – striping
  • Bixby Creek Bridge – striping and bridge work
  • Willow Creek Bridge – striping
  • Garrapata Creek Bridge – striping
  • Garrapata Creek Bridge to Granite Canyon Bridge – draining work

Highway 68 – Pacific Grove to Monterey: October 7 – October 12

An ongoing safety improvement construction project along east/westbound Highway 68 (Holman Highway) will require night work with traffic control between Piedmont Avenue and Highway 1 from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Highway 101 – Prunedale: October 9 – October 12

The southbound #2 (right) lane of U.S. Highway 101 will be closed between Messick Road and Mallory Canyon Road Tuesday through Thursday from 9 am to 1 pm each day. Delays of up to 25 minutes are expected and motorists are advised to use an alternate route.

Highway 156 – Castroville: October 8 – October 12

A project to resurface the pavement and replace concrete slabs on State Route 156 from the Separation with State Route 1 to the Separation with State Route 183 in Castroville is now underway. Motorists will encounter lane closures on westbound State Route 156 Monday through Thursday during the overnight hours as needed from 7 pm until 6 am and from 8 pm until 6 am on Sundays. Motorists will encounter lane closures on eastbound State Route 156 Monday through Thursday during the overnight hours from 7 pm until 5 am and from 8 pm until 5 am on Sundays.

To Big Sur… with Love

By:
In: News

How to handle Big Sur with care

Big Sur is a very special place to many people. To help keep it that way and to help ensure your own safety, please observe some simple rules and follow these basic safety tips. Click here for more tips on Sustainable Moments in Monterey County.

Visiting Big Sur? Here are some things you should know.

Do

Do Take Lots of Pics — Leave plenty of extra time to snap memorable photos along your journey. Use caution and safely use the parking pullouts on Highway 1 to capture epic snapshots of the Big Sur coastline. Don’t forget to share you pics using #SeeMonterey!

Do Recycle — Most businesses have blue recycling bins. Please treat Big Sur gently and with respect so that it will remain the beautiful place we all love.

Do Be Mindful of Poison Oak — This toxic plant is found in Big Sur in abundance. Exposure to the plant can be spread by hands, clothing, pets, or equipment which has come in contact with the plant or from the smoke generated when burning it. Much of the reactive substance can be removed by immediate washing with cool water and soap. Look for the triple leaf pattern, with prominent veins and a shiny surface. During the summer and fall, the leaves take on reddish hues. Try to avoid this plant.

Do Respect Private Property — Please be mindful and respectful of the property rights of others. Most of the land adjacent to the highway is posted private property, and trespassing laws are strictly enforced.

Don’t

Don’t Start Fires — The biggest concern during the dry season are wildfires. Please extinguish cigarettes in your ashtray. Be extra careful, making sure that your fire is safe and legal. Be sure to extinguish your fire when you leave.

Don’t Collect — Plants, animals, rocks and artifacts of Big Sur’s cultural and natural history are protected by law and should not be disturbed. Rockhounding and collection of driftwood and firewood may be allowed in certain designated areas. Collectors should contact the nearest ranger station for specific information.

Don’t Set Up Camp on the Roadside — Roadside camping is prohibited along Highway 1 from the Carmel River to the Monterey-San Luis Obispo County line as well as Nacimiento Fergusson Road. This does not apply to tired motorists stopping for a temporary rest. Illegal campers will be cited!

Don’t Treat the Side of the Road Like a Restroom — Public restrooms are scarce along Highway 1 so be sure to make a pit stop in Monterey or Carmel beforehand. Restrooms at California State Parks within Big Sur are also open to the public. Click here for a list of public restrooms in the Big Sur area.

Don’t Let Pets Run Wild — In State Parks, pets must be on a leash at all times and are not allowed on the trails. On US Forest Service lands, pets must be leashed in developed campgrounds, picnic and day use areas. This is not only for their safety but for other visitors including hikers and local wildlife, which can be intimidated, injured, or killed by unleashed pets.

Visit the Big Sur Visitor Guide and Love, Big Sur websites for more travel tips.

Big Sur Safety Tips

“COSMOS” Casting Call

By:
In: Casting Call, News

From time to time MCFC is asked to get the word out when productions are looking for background extras.  This request just arrived…

Sande Alessi Casting has specific needs for a mid-June “COSMOS” TV shoot in the Monterey Area! They’re looking for an African-American male, 6-foot to 6-foot three inches as a stand-in, and newborn Asian babies, female newborns 0-3 months old, twins preferred, but open to single babies as well.  Interested? Email a current photo, sizes, and contact information to: CosmosCastingSAC@gmail.com  with “Monterey” in the subject line.

This casting team was behind Pirates of the Caribbean, Kong Skull Island and many others.

MCFC’s 30th Anniversary Reunion – Nov. 19th at Tarpy’s

By:
In: News, Uncategorized

Reunite with MCFC Board members–past and present–and help us celebrate the lives and contributions of past Presidents Phyllis Decker, Nick Souza, Richard Tyler and our first President, David McIntyre.  There will be hosted wine, a no-host bar and heavy hors d’oeuvres.
“We are so happy to see the response we are getting from former Film Commission Board Members to our 30th Reunion Event! Do not miss this chance to catch up with old friends…
so much history… so much hard work!  Let’s celebrate together!”
                                                             Teresa Del Piero and Anne Sanchez, Committee Co-Chairs
Please share with your fellow Board members so that everyone will know about the event. MCFC does not have valid email address for all former Board members.  RSVP by November 15, by phone at 831-646-0910 or email Moira@FilmMonterey.org. $50 per person payable to:
Monterey County Film Commission, PO Box 111, Monterey, CA  93942

Daniel Cardenas joins MCFC Board

By:
In: News, Press Releases

The Monterey County Film Commission board of directors has elected Daniel Cardenas of Carmel to serve on the board for a three-year term.

Cardenas is a realtor with Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate in Carmel. Prior to moving to Monterey County he lived in Long Beach, and worked with Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank for 20 years. There he held positions in human resources, post-production, consumer products, and production operations distribution of theatrical for Latin America and Asia Pacific. He also managed 12 worldwide theatrical film distribution releases for New Line Cinema Worldwide.

As director of international sales and acquisitions for In-Focus Entertainment, Cardenas distributed feature films to over 50 airlines worldwide and negotiated film acquisition contracts.

While with Warner Bros., he served as director of professional development for a career development program, Warner Bros. Latinos Unidos, participated in the Warner Bros. mentor program Big Brother, and volunteered with MEND (Meeting Each Need with Dignity) and Wheels for Humanity, providing wheelchairs for Third World countries.

The nonprofit Monterey County Film Commission was established by and is funded in part by the Monterey County Board of Supervisors.  It works to attract and facilitate on-location film production for economic development, with an annual average of $4 million direct spend coming to local communities from the film business.

Monterey’s Summer of Love kicked off with “Monterey Pop” film

By:
In: News, Press Releases, Student Scholarships

In May, the Monterey County Film Commission took nearly 800 movie-goers back in time to the 1967 Monterey International Pop Festival. It happened via a special screening of D.A. Pennebaker’s
documentary Monterey Pop, the ground-breaking film which blended music and film 50 years ago. Held at Monterey’s historic Golden State Theatre, the event included a talk by Carmel’s professional photographer Tom Gundelfinger O’Neal, who shared behind-the-scenes insights on the festival and those who were capturing its action on film.